People revere the Constitution yet know so little about it—and that goes for some of my fellow senators.
—Robert Byrd, 2005Quotes
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.
—Thomas Jefferson, 1787All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.
—Al Smith, 1933The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.
—LaoziA government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1944To be turned from one’s course by men’s opinions, by blame, and by misrepresentation shows a man unfit to hold office.
—Quintus Fabius Maximus, c. 203 BCThe more corrupt the republic, the more numerous the laws.
—Tacitus, c. 117What experience and history teach is this—that nations and governments have never learned anything from history or acted upon any lessons they might have drawn from it.
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, 1830The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.
—Dean Acheson, 1970Sic semper tyrannis! The South is avenged.
—John Wilkes Booth, 1865There is nothing more tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.
—Anthony Trollope, 1862You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.
—Henrik Ibsen, 1882Do that which consists in taking no action, and order will prevail.
—Laozi, c. 500 BC